Students take fashion designs to the runway

Katherine Bonnecaze works on her gown inspired by Audrey Hepburn. This gown and others by LSU College of Agriculture design students will be shown at a runway show as part of Baton Rouge Fashion Week. Photo by Tobie Blanchard

Brigid Horlander is showing her white gown at a runway show as part of Baton Rouge Fashion Week. Horlander, who describes her aesthetic as Southern living, sees her gown being worn for a garden wedding. Photo by Tobie Blanchard

News Release Distributed 02/14/14

BATON ROUGE, La. – Rachel Detloff’s purple ombre gown is going from the classroom to the runway. Detloff is one of a group of senior level students and former students from the LSU College of Agriculture’s Department of Textiles, Apparel Design and Merchandising showing pieces during a runway show on Feb. 15.

The New Orleans native said the Carolina Herrera chiffon fabric she found spoke to her and inspired the dress.

“I changed my design when I found this fabric,” Detloff said.

The students’ pieces, which will grace the runway Feb. 15 at the Capitol Park Museum as part of Baton Rouge Fashion Week, were chosen by a faculty committee. Some of the dresses were designed as part of a draping class last fall. Other pieces were completed in a class that required the use of alligator in the garments.

Jenna Kuttruff, department head, said the show is a valuable opportunity for the students.

“If their designs are special, people will pay attention,” Kuttruff said.

She also expressed hope that this is the beginning of a new fashion scene in Baton Rouge that will bring career possibilities for her students.

“As a general rule many of them don’t want to leave Louisiana, but there hasn’t been much fashion opportunity in Baton Rouge,” she said.

Katherine Bonnecaze found inspiration in fashion icon Audrey Hepburn when designing her black and pink gown. This will be her first time participating in a fashion show.

“I thought it was really cool because we’ve worked so hard, so it is good to get this opportunity to show our work,” Bonnecaze said.

Bonnecaze is looking forward to getting feedback from people attending the show, but she is not looking to sell this piece. She made the gown to fit her tall, thin frame and anticipates wearing it to a formal event.

Victoria Beadles called her pink and beige strapless gown a modern spin on Pride and Prejudice. She appreciates the exposure the show will get her.

“I hope to work for a big-name company first so I can get to know the whole design process,” said Beadles, a native of Baton Rouge.

A pink fabric peony sits near the waist of Brigid Horlander’s white gown. Horlander, a native of Georgia, described her design aesthetic as Southern living.

“I like light and airy clothes that reflect aspects of gardening,” Horlander said.